Food Consumption and Health Outcomes in Women During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Faced with the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic, different countries worldwide have adopted measures to contain the spread of the highly transmissible virus. 1 With respect to the behavioral practices implemented, social distancing has had a direct impact on food consumption and mental health. The scientific literature emphasizes that, in these situations, individuals tend to regulate their negative moods, caused by anxiety, stress and fear, through consumption of unhealthy foods, in a phenomenon known as "emotional eating". [2][3][4] It is also known that the pandemic has caused financial instability with a direct impact on purchasing power, thus promoting increased consumption of ultraprocessed foods, due to lower price and high availability. These factors have significantly contributed to food insecurity, leading to negative effects on quality of life. Accordingly, ultra-processed food consumption leads to the production of new inflammatory compounds, which are associated with negative health impacts. [5][6][7] These impacts include weight gain, sedentarism, reduced sleep quality, development of chronic diseases, and mortality. 8,9 Recent studies have revealed that obesity, type 2 diabetes, and arterial hypertension have a direct relation with the worsening of COVID-19, favoring acute respiratory syndrome, severe viral pneumonia, organ failure, and mortality. 10,11

Ultra-Processed Foods Consumption and Cardiovascular Health

“…These findings provided insights into the impact of the pandemic on food choices and suggested a potential link between dietary patterns, metabolic health, and overall well-being in obese women. 15 Even though it is clear that the burden of cardiovascular diseases outcomes can be attributed to the consumption of ultra-processed foods, the consumption of this type of food only seems to increase, fostered due to its low cost, practicality, and the food industry appeal.…”